StillHere is an interactive guide that meets you exactly where you are — emotionally and practically. It covers the apps you need to reach them, the feelings you didn't ask for, and the permission you might need.
Start the Guide →You didn't choose this. You chose them — the person, not the situation. But now you're navigating a world of collect calls, approval lists, and apps you've never heard of. While carrying a weight no one else can see.
StillHere was built for this. Not by someone who read about it — by someone who lived it.
What's inside
Guilt, grief, anger, hope, ambivalence — all of it is valid. We walk through the emotional landscape of loving someone incarcerated without judgment or forced positivity.
ConnectNetwork, GettingOut, Securus, TextBehind, Ameelio — step-by-step guides for every app families use to reach their loved one, with what to expect and what to avoid.
You are not weak for considering your own life. We address the guilt around "moving on" with clarity and honesty — and without making the decision for you.
Millions of families are doing exactly what you're doing. We connect you to real communities, real resources, and stories from people who understand without explanation.
I spent months calling the wrong number, sending messages that never arrived, and crying over receipts I couldn't afford. No one told me how any of this worked. I had to figure it out alone. This guide is what I wish someone had handed me on day one.
— From the experience that inspired StillHere
The practical guide
Step-by-step guidance for the tools that connect you to your person behind bars.
Electronic messaging, video visitation, and phone accounts. We explain how to fund your account, what the facility allows, and how to avoid common mistakes.
Free video calls and e-messaging for incarcerated families. We show you how to set up the account, what facilities support it, and how to maximize free calls.
Video calling, digital messaging, photo sharing. Walkthrough of the interface, costs, scheduling video visits, and how to manage your account on a budget.
Text messaging with photos and greeting cards. Unlimited free inmate replies. We cover how it works, what images are allowed, and how letters get delivered.
Inmate-initiated video calls and messaging via ComPAS tablets and HomePAS kiosks. How to set up your account, add funds, and receive calls without scheduling.
Phone calls, voicemails, and deposit management. How the commission-based billing works, what it costs, and strategies for staying connected without draining your account.
StillHere was made for the person sitting in their car after a visit, staring at their phone, wondering if they sent the message right. For the parent explaining absence to a child. For the one who keeps showing up.
This is for you.
Families like yours
The first month after his arrest I could not eat. Reading the emotional sections here, slowly, gave me a place to put the grief instead of folding it under everything else.
I started sleeping through the night again.
I had been staring at the ConnectNetwork screen for an hour, too embarrassed to call anyone for help. The app walkthrough walked me through it the way a friend would have, if I had one to ask.
I sent my first message that same evening.
I kept telling myself that wanting my own life back meant I was giving up on him. The 'permission to move forward' section was the first time I had that feeling named out loud without being told I was wrong for it.
I finally went back to my Tuesday class.
Our daughter had stopped asking questions about her dad. Something about the way StillHere frames it, for kids, gave me words I actually trusted myself to say.
My daughter asked me a question about him this week.
New chapters, gentle updates, and small comforts — delivered only when there's something worth holding onto.
Thank you. Check your inbox to confirm — we're glad you're here.